NRCC News

FastForward: Short-term training for today's careers

This is an archived article!

This article was published on Nov 09 2017
and was archived on Nov 08 2018.
The information below may be outdated or inaccurate.

In every corner of the Commonwealth, people are eager to find meaningful jobs, and employers are looking for workers with the right skills.

In the decade leading up to 2023, Virginia businesses will need to hire more than 1.4 million people to replace retiring workers and fill newly-created jobs.

According to the National Skills Coalition, almost half of the job openings in Virginia between 2010 and 2020 will require some post-high school education, but not necessarily a bachelor’s degree. To land these jobs applicants need industry-recognized credentials, certifications and licenses.

Virginia’s Community Colleges offer a wide variety of workforce training programs to help prepare people and businesses to succeed in the 21st century marketplace.

We call these programs “FastForward” because they can help Virginians train for fulfilling new careers in weeks or months, instead of semesters or years.

FastForward programs offer a clear path to meaningful careers, providing students with a renewed sense of professional fulfillment that comes with turning their lives around.

FastForward Career Coaches at each community college will help participants through the job training process, help search for financial aid, and even help them prepare for entry into the workforce. Kim Matthews is the NRCC FastForward Career Coach. She can be reached at 540-674-3600, ext. 4435 or kmathews@nr.edu.

FastForward is the most affordable, attainable option in higher education.